First?!

Do you remember the first time you went on a date? The first time you went to a movie with just your friend and no parents? Do you remember the first sport you ever played, first team experience? You know what I'm talking about. You get so pumped and the testosterone or estrogen begins to flow.....I guess ladies get fired up. Anyway, think about something that was your first, the plethora of emotions and thoughts running through your mind and heart.

This past weekend I took my 14 year old son for his first experience to get behind the steering wheel of a vehicle. The whole time from lunch until 3:30 p.m. he was acting like a nut case. I have never seen him so spastic and crazy acting. So we loaded up in my five manual 2002 Nissan Xterra and headed off to the wild blue yonder. Can't tell you where, cause some of my cop buddies may sit out and try to nail me. Got to our location and man he was pumped.

We talked about the rules, he nodded, we talked about how to work a five speed, he nodded with a look of uncertainty. We talked about speed thrills but kills, yada yada is what I felt like he wanted to say. So we made the switch. He adjusted everything, my heart is pounding and so is his. He gets in and revs the engine up and doesn't let the clutch off. Finally he figures it out and gets to going. Two hands on the wheel and off we go, his face just glowing. Man, you couldn't pay me anything for that moment. I would not have missed that for anything. A few weeks later I let him drive moms 2002 minivan (automatic) Man, he did well. He loved it. I asked him why and he said.....it doesn't require much work. I understand what he means, but here is my problem. We look at everything in life that way. We always want the easy way out....Why is that? Marriage, careers etc....we don't want to work at it. Let's do things as if it were our first time, let's put that type of energy into it. Could you imagine what life would be like if we all took that FIRST LOOK!

Philip Thurman